DEFENCE

Iraq

George Galloway: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what military actions HM forces conducted over northern Iraq on 19 June; and if he will make a statement.

Geoff Hoon: On 19 June, coalition aircraft conducted routine patrols over the Northern No-Fly Zone over Iraq. During these patrols, aircrews came under multiple attack by Iraqi anti-aircraft artillery and surface-to-air missiles. On this occasion, no coalition ordnance was released in self-defence. In fact, all coalition aircraft involved in the patrols returned to base safely and all of their ordnance has been accounted for.
	Saddam Hussein's propaganda machine yet again has made completely false claims. The Iraqis have asserted that, during these patrols, coalition aircraft attacked civilian targets when in fact, the evidence suggests that his own air defence system was responsible. The US Defence Department has stated that it has good reason to believe that one of the missiles fired at coalition aircrew may have returned to earth in the area where the casualties are alleged to have occurred.

British Forces Post Office, Mill Hill

Andrew Dismore: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on progress of the review of British Forces Post Office, Mill Hill.

Adam Ingram: The review of the BFPO at Mill Hill has now been completed, but no firm decision has yet been taken. I understand fully the need to bring this issue to closure as quickly as possible and I will write to my hon. Friend as soon as a decision is made.

PRIME MINISTER

Correspondence

Gerald Kaufman: To ask the Prime Minister if he will seek an explanation from the Secretary of State for Health for not fulfilling his undertaking of 11 May to reply to letters to him from the right hon. Member for Manchester, Gorton, with regard to Mr. E. Graal and Mrs. E. Jones.

Tony Blair: I understand that my right hon. Friends the Secretary of State for Health and the Lord Chancellor have replied to my right hon. Friend's letters.

Appointments Commission

Gordon Prentice: To ask the Prime Minister if he will make it his policy to refer all recommendations for a peerage to the House of Lords Appointments Commission; and if he will make a statement.

Tony Blair: It is my normal policy to do so. However, we have always made it clear that in relation to party political peers, the Appointments Commission was taking over the role formerly fulfilled by the Political Honours Scrutiny Committee. It was never the custom that appointments to the Lords to enable someone to take up ministerial office should be subject to scrutiny by that Committee. I have also decided, after consultation with the House of Lords Appointments Commission, that a limited number of holders of very high office may be recommended direct to the Queen by me.

Performance and Innovation Unit

Stephen Pound: To ask the Prime Minister what additional projects are planned for the Performance and Innovation Unit; and if he will make a statement.

Tony Blair: I have asked the Performance and Innovation Unit to undertake a review of the strategic issues surrounding energy policy for Great Britain.
	The review will be set within the context of meeting the challenge of global warming, while ensuring secure, diverse and reliable energy supplies at a competitive price.
	The aim of the review will be to set out the objectives of energy policy and to develop a strategy that ensures current policy commitments are consistent with longer- term goals. The findings will also inform the Government's response to last year's report from the Royal Commission on Environmental Pollution "Energy--the changing climate".
	The work the PIU has already started, on resource productivity and renewable energy, will be an important input into this project. This review will work closely with the resource productivity team and the main Whitehall Departments, as well as business, international institutions, other Government and non-governmental organisations.
	The Minister for Industry and Energy will chair an advisory group for this project, which will report by the end of the year. Other Ministers on the advisory group include the Minister for the Environment and the Chief Secretary to the Treasury.

Child Benefit

Bridget Prentice: To ask the Prime Minister, in respect of the Government's intention to introduce a new tax credit for families with children, if he will make a statement on the future of the administrative arrangements for the Child Benefit Centre in Great Britain.

Tony Blair: The new tax credit will build on the foundation of universal child benefit. I have decided that responsibility for child benefit in Great Britain will transfer to Inland Revenue so that when the new credit is introduced in 2003, Government support for children will be administered by one Department. Until the transfer takes place, child benefit will remain the responsibility of the Department for Work and Pensions.

Iraq

George Galloway: To ask the Prime Minister if he will make a statement on the bombing of a football game in Northern Iraq on 19 June.

Tony Blair: I refer my hon. Friend to the answer given to him by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Defence today, Official Report, column 17W.

HOUSE OF COMMONS

Select Committee (Lord Chancellor's Department)

Gareth Thomas: To ask the President of the Council if he will bring forward proposals to establish a departmental Select Committee to scrutinise the work of the Lord Chancellor's Department.

Robin Cook: The Lord Chancellor's Department has been scrutinised by the Home Affairs Committee in the past, and this arrangement is likely to be appropriate in the future. The Lord Chancellor's Department's new responsibilities have largely been transferred from the Home Office.

Videoconferencing Facilities

Linda Gilroy: To ask the hon. Member for Roxburgh and Berwickshire, representing the House of Commons Commission, what plans there are to improve the provision of, and access, to videoconferencing facilities for hon. Members.

Archy Kirkwood: This is a matter on which the Information Committee's advice would be sought. I hope that, together with other Select Committees, the Information Committee will soon be appointed.

TRANSPORT, LOCAL GOVERNMENT AND THE REGIONS

Derelict Sites

Vernon Coaker: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what powers are available to local authorities to compel private landowners to clear up derelict sites.

Sally Keeble: Section 215 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 gives local planning authorities a discretionary power to require private landowners to clear up sites if they are adversely affecting the condition of land or amenity in their area.
	If owners do not comply with a notice served under s215, local planning authorities have the power under s219 to enter the land to carry out the specified work and recover the costs incurred from the landowner.
	The Department of Environment, Transport and the Regions last September published research on "Derelict Land and Section 215 Powers" which included a number of practical suggestions to facilitate its use.

Environmental Impact Assessments

David Kidney: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions in what circumstances he (a) requires and (b) expects an environmental impact assessment in support of an application for permission for development.

Sally Keeble: The Town and Country Planning (Environmental Impact Assessment) (England and Wales) Regulations 1999 give effect to the requirements of Directive 85/337/EEC on the assessment of the effects of certain public and private projects on the environment. The regulations apply to categories of projects specified in schedules 1 and 2 of the regulations. For development listed in schedule 1 of the regulations, environmental impact assessment is always required before planning permission may be granted. For development listed in schedule 2, an assessment is required if the project is likely to have a significant effect on the environment by virtue of factors such as its nature, scale or location.

Mobile Phone Masts

Andrew Murrison: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions if he will make a statement on plans his Department has to tighten planning controls on mobile phone masts.

Sally Keeble: We propose to bring forward shortly changes to the current planning rules and guidance for telecommunications mast development in order to:
	strengthen public consultation requirements on mast proposals of 15 metres and below
	increase the time for an authority to deal with prior approval applications to 56 days
	underline that school governors must be consulted on all proposals for new masts on or near a school or college; and
	increase fees to enable authorities to carry out full public consultation.

High Hedges

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what measures he proposes to take to reduce the incidence of high hedges overshadowing or encroaching on people's property; and if he will make a statement.

Sally Keeble: The Government are committed to introducing legislation that would give local authorities in England and Wales powers to deal with complaints about problem high hedges, as soon as there is space in the parliamentary timetable.
	Where these hedges encroach on people's property, they already have rights to cut overhanging branches back to the boundary--unless any trees in the hedge are protected by a tree preservation order or the people live in a conservation area. In such cases, people should check with their local council before carrying out any works on the hedge.

High Hedges

Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions when he expects legislation to be introduced to deal with high boundary hedges and trees in residential gardens; and if he will make a statement.

Sally Keeble: The Government are committed to introducing legislation that would give local authorities in England and Wales powers to deal with complaints about problem high hedges, as soon as there is space in the parliamentary timetable.

Millennium Dome

Peter Ainsworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions if he will set out the timetable for the sale of the dome.

Sally Keeble: There is no firm deadline for the sale. We are, through the on-going market testing, exploring all avenues, and the aim is to secure a sale as quickly as possible. However, it is important that all diligence is done both in the market testing and the assessment of on-going process issues, in order that the process--and the continued regeneration of the Greenwich Peninsula--is not undermined. We will make an announcement as soon as possible, consistent with independent professional advice.

Millennium Dome

Peter Ainsworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions if he will make a statement on the estimated market value of the dome site (a) with the dome in place and (b) with the dome removed.

Sally Keeble: A pre-sale valuation of the dome site has been undertaken in the context of the process to secure a sustainable long-term use for the dome. This valuation and Government appraisals of the financial value of the site are commercially confidential while the process continues.

Millennium Dome

Peter Ainsworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what proportion of the proceeds from the future sale of the dome will be returned to national lottery funds.

Sally Keeble: The allocation of proceeds from the sale of the dome is set out in a legal agreement between English Partnerships and the New Millennium Experience Company. This was signed on 12 January 2001 and announced to Parliament on 17 January 2001, Official Report, column 258W.
	After deduction of competition, decommissioning and other costs from the sale proceeds, half will be paid to English Partnerships as owners of the land and half to the New Millennium Experience Company as builders, owners and operators of the dome structure. Once NMEC has been wound up, it is intended that any remaining share of the proceeds will pass to the Millennium Commission.

Redhill Aerodrome Ventures Ltd.

Peter Ainsworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions if the submission by Redhill Aerodrome Ventures Ltd. to his Department's consultation on airport capacity in the south-east was confidential.

David Jamieson: We received a submission from Redhill Aerodrome Ltd. in response to "The Future of Aviation" consultation document. Redhill Aerodrome Ventures Ltd. asked that its response be kept confidential. We have not yet issued a consultation document on airport capacity in the south-east and east of England.

Central Railway

David Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what target he has set the Strategic Rail Authority for completing its feasibility study on the Central Railway proposal; when he expects to receive the SRA's report; and if he will make a statement.

David Jamieson: No target has been set. I understand that the Strategic Rail Authority has just received its consultants' high-level review of the Central Railways proposal and will be advising on its conclusion in due course.

Chiltern Line

David Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions if he will make a statement on progress towards a final decision on the award of the rail franchise for the Chiltern Line.

David Jamieson: The Strategic Rail Authority signed heads of terms with M40 Trains Ltd. on 10 August 2000 and expects to sign a new franchise agreement in the autumn.

Concessionary Bus Travel

Lawrie Quinn: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what progress has been made by his Department in extending the concessionary bus travel scheme to men between the ages of 60 and 65 years.

Sally Keeble: As announced in the Gracious Speech on 20 June 2001, Official Report, column 33, we intend to bring forward a Bill during the present Session to amend the relevant legislation.

EDUCATION AND SKILLS

Class Sizes (Yorkshire)

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the class sizes for (a) primary and (b) secondary schools were in (i) North Yorkshire and (ii) the City of York local education authorities on 1 May 2001 and projected for 1 May 2002.

Stephen Timms: The available data are shown in the table.
	
		Average class size--position in January each year
		
			  North Yorkshire City of York England 
		
		
			  Primary schools  
			 2000(1) 25.8 26.4 27.1 
			 2001 25.3 25.9 26.7 
			 
			  Secondary schools  
			 2000(1) 21.1 21.5 22.0 
			 2001 21.1 21.1 22.0 
		
	
	(1) Provisional
	The size of average primary classes has fallen nationally from 27.7 in 1998 to 26.7 in 2001; by September 2001 we expect that no infant class will have more than 30 pupils. Secondary class sizes nationally rose from under 20 in 1989 to 21.7 in 1997. Since then the growth has slowed and has remained at 22 for two years.
	In 2001-02 secondary headteachers will receive an average of £70,000 and primary headteachers £24,000 in direct grant to spend as they choose including on reducing class sizes if that is their priority.
	We do not have projections on average class sizes.

HEALTH

NHS Pay Review

Barry Gardiner: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to include NHS scientific laboratory staff in the NHS pay review.

John Hutton: I refer my hon. Friend to the reply my predecessor gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Erith and Thamesmead (Mr. Austin) on 23 October 2000, Official Report, columns 80-81W.

Residential and Nursing Care

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many individuals had to sell a property to finance their (a) residential and (b) nursing care, within local authorities prior to the local authority becoming responsible for funding their care; and if he will make a statement.

Jacqui Smith: This information is not held centrally.

Residential and Nursing Care

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many (a) residential and (b) nursing placements were being funded at the end of 2000-01.

Jacqui Smith: The table shows the number of local authority supported residents in residential or nursing care at 31 March 2000, the latest year for which information is available.
	
		Rounded number 
		
			 England(2) Supported residents 
		
		
			 Residential care homes(3) 193,100 
			 Nursing care homes(4) 74,400 
			  
			 Total number of residents 267,500 
		
	
	(2) As at 31 March 2000
	(3) Includes local authority staffed, voluntary and private homes and small or unstaffed homes
	(4) Independent general and mental nursing homes
	Source:
	SR1 form

Social Services Assessments

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what level of assessment is undertaken by social services when a client is vulnerable and self-funding but has no partner or advocate; and if he will make a statement.

Jacqui Smith: Under Section 47 of the National Health Service and Community Care Act 1990 local authorities have a duty to give a community care assessment to anyone, who, in their view, might be in need of community care services. This duty applies irrespective of the person's means and whether or not the person has a partner or advocate. The content of the assessment is a matter for the local authority to decide.

General Social Care Council

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will require the General Social Care Council to develop an interim register that covers all unqualified social care workers employed by local authorities and in the independent sector.

Jacqui Smith: The General Social Care Council (GSCC) will register social care workers who hold the appropriate level of qualification for the job that they do, and who satisfy the requirements as to conduct and competence. Registration will begin with social workers, most of whom are qualified. Other early groups for registration will be residential child care workers and managers of care homes. The GSCC will set out the timescales for registering the remainder of the workforce.
	The GSCC will publish codes of practice for social care workers and other employers. All social care workers will be expected to abide by these codes, whether or not they are registered with the GSCC.

General Social Care Council

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what role the General Social Care Council will play in regulating health support workers.

Jacqui Smith: The General Social Care Council (GSCC) will be responsible for regulating social care workers. There are no plans for it to regulate health support workers. The social care workforce in England comprises over a million workers, and the GSCC will concentrate on introducing regulation in this new area.

NHS Staff Numbers

Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many (a) consultants and (b) general practitioners were working for the NHS in July 2000.

John Hutton: The Department collects information about the number of consultants and general practitioners working for the National Health Service as at 30 September each year. Information is not available for July 2000.
	As at 30 September 2000 (headcount) there were 24,300 consultants and 28,590 general practitioners working for the NHS.

NHS Staff Numbers

Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many nurses were working for the NHS in (a) July 2000 and (b) June 2001.

John Hutton: The Department of Health workforce censuses collect the number of nurses working in the National Health Service in England as at 30 September each year.
	On 30 September 1999 there were 329,640 (headcount) nurses employed in the NHS. On 30 September 2000 there were 335,950.

Hospital Food

Liam Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will specify the remuneration of each culinary adviser involved in the improvement of hospital food.

John Hutton: National Health Service dietitians, catering managers, nurses and patients, along with Mr. Loyd Grossman and his team of seven leading chefs, all contributed towards the development of the better hospital food initiative, including the development of a new NHS recipe book and menu. Launched on 8 May, it includes new dishes which have been specially designed for modern tastes.
	Loyd Grossman and the chefs provided their services free of charge.

Waiting Lists (Suspensions)

Liam Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many NHS patients are suspended from waiting lists; and how many were suspended from waiting lists on 1 March.

John Hutton: Statistics for suspended patients are published by the Department of Health every quarter. At the end of March 2001 (the most recent data available) 76,734 patients have been suspended from the inpatient waiting list during the last quarter of 2000-01.
	The National Health Service data manual gives clear guidance that patients should only be suspended from the waiting list if they are medically unfit for the operation, or for other impelling reasons i.e. where a patient is unavailable for admission because of family commitments, holidays or other reasons.

Departmental Responsibilities

Liam Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list the areas of responsibility that have been transferred (a) from his Department to other Departments and (b) to his Department from other Departments since 8 June.

Hazel Blears: No areas of responsibility have been transferred either to or from my Department since 8 June.

Overseas Nurses

Liam Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Health from which countries overseas nurses are employed by the NHS; and how many nurses are employed from each country.

John Hutton: This information is not held centrally. Information on applications from nurses outside the United Kingdom for registration to the United Kingdom Central Council for Nursing, Midwifery and Health Visiting (UKCC) can be found in the UKCC annual statistical analysis of the UKCC professional register. Information on the number of work permits issued to employers is available from work permits UK.

Overseas Nurses

Liam Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what representations he has received from foreign Governments in connection with the employment of overseas nurses since May 2000.

John Hutton: Over the last year we have received representations from the Spanish Government about recruiting doctors and nurses from Spain to work in the National Health Service.
	An Inter-Governmental agreement was achieved with Spain in November 2000 to promote closer working between the two countries. As part of this agreement, the first 63 nurses arrived in the north-west of England from Spain on 19 January 2001 to work in four NHS trusts and have now been joined by another 57. Following this successful recruitment, the initiative is being extended to medical staff through a pilot project also being led by north-west region.
	I am also aware that the Department has received representations over the last year from:
	Latvia
	Philippines
	Russia
	China
	Tunisia
	Caribbean
	South Africa
	Zimbabwe.
	Guidance was issued by the Department on international recruitment which emphasises that all NHS employers must ensure that they do not actively recruit from developing countries who are experiencing nursing shortages of their own.

NHS Vacancies

Liam Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many (a) consultant posts and (b) nursing posts are currently vacant; and how many posts in each category have been vacant for more than three months.

John Hutton: The Department of Health vacancy survey for 2000 collected only the number of vacancies which have lasted for three months or more as at 30 March. These figures are given in the table.
	Results from 2001 vacancy survey are not yet available.
	
		Department of Health Vacancies Survey three month vacancy figures(5) for Consultants and Nursing staff as at 31 March 2000(6)
		
			  Number 
		
		
			 All consultants 600 
			 General medicine group of specialities 90 
			 Paediatrics 40 
			 Accident and emergency 30 
			 Surgical group of specialities 60 
			 Obstetrics and gynaecology 10 
			 Anaesthetics 30 
			 Radiology group of specialities 70 
			 Clinical oncology 10 
			 Pathology group of specialities 50 
			 Psychiatry group of specialities 190 
			 Dental (hospital or public health) 20 
			 All qualified nursing, midwifery and health visiting staff 10,110 
			 Acute, elderly and general care 6,390 
			 Paediatrics 620 
			 Learning difficulties 310 
			 Psychiatry 1,440 
			 Midwives 510 
			 District nurses 150 
			 Health visitors 190 
			 Other qualified nurses 490 
		
	
	(5) Posts that had been vacant for three months or more as at 31 March 2000.
	(6) Figures are different from those previously published due to the discovery of figures for four trusts, which had not given detailed breakdown of vacancies within staff groups, being excluded altogether from the results.
	Notes:
	1. Figures are whole time equivalents rounded to the nearest 10.
	2. Three month vacancies are classified as vacant for three months or more, but have actively been tried to be filled.
	3. Totals may not add up due to rounding.
	Source:
	Department of Health Vacancies Survey.

Private Treatment (NHS Patients)

Liam Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many NHS patients were treated by the private sector during the last quarter (a) in total and (b) broken down by specialty.

John Hutton: At present this information is not centrally recorded. We are currently exploring as part of the Concordat with the private sector what additional data collection may be necessary and desirable.

Prescription Payments (Exemptions)

Liam Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list the medical conditions which warrant exemption from prescription payments.

Hazel Blears: The medical conditions conferring exemption from prescription charges are:
	(1) permanent fistula (including caecostomy, colostomy, laryngostomy, or ileostomy) requiring continuous surgical dressing or an appliance;
	(2) the following disorders:
	forms of hypoadrenalism (including Addison's disease) for which specific substitution therapy is essential
	diabetes insipidus and other forms of hypopituitarism
	diabetes mellitus--except where treatment is by diet alone
	hypoparathyroidism
	myasthenia gravis
	myxoedema
	(3) epilepsy requiring continuous anti-convulsive therapy;
	(4) a continuing physical disability which prevents the patient from leaving his residence without the help of another person.

Delayed Discharges

Liam Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many delayed discharges there were of NHS patients on (a) 1 January, (b) 1 February, (c) 1 March, (d) 1 April and (e) 1 May; and how many NHS patients on each of those dates there were whose discharge had been delayed but who had fully funded social services packages arranged.

John Hutton: Information on delayed discharges of patients aged over 75 years in England is collected centrally on a quarterly basis. In December 2000 the number of over-75s whose discharge was delayed was 5,801 and in March 2001 this figure was 5,938. In December 2000, 35 per cent. of the people whose discharges were delayed were awaiting placement in a residential care or nursing home or awaiting arrangement of a package of care to allow them to return to their own home. In some cases patients will be exercising their right to await a place in a home of their choice. No information is collected on the funding arrangements for these packages. For March 2001 this figure was 37 per cent.

Delayed Discharges

Debra Shipley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the number of acute hospital beds which are unavailable to incoming patients as a result of their occupation by patients needing accommodation in a nursing home.

Jacqui Smith: Information is not available centrally in the form requested. Information is collected for England on the number of people aged over 75 whose discharge is delayed awaiting a care home placement (residential care homes and nursing homes are not separately distinguished). In the last quarter of 2000-01 (the latest figures available), there were 1,703 such people. Some of these people will be exercising their right to await a place in a home of their choice.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

Power Generation

Colin Pickthall: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what plans she has to assess the feasibility of setting up demonstration plants for cleaner coal power generation technology.

Brian Wilson: I can announce that a new review will commence this month and is expected to report its findings at the end of the year.
	Its Terms of Reference are:
	To assess the value of a cleaner coal demonstration plant from four key perspectives:
	1. It will specifically take account of the relative benefits and costs, in comparison to other sustainable energy technologies, arising from the use of cleaner coal plant for power generation in the UK to:
	Support the Government's climate changes policy objectives through the reduction of CO 2 emissions in the longer term and assessing the potential for CO 2 capture and sequestration.
	The contribution it would make to the overall energy policy objectives of the Government "to ensure secure, diverse and sustainable supplies of energy at competitive prices".
	2. It will complement other ongoing work looking at energy choices in the context of the need to make substantial reductions in greenhouse gas emissions over the longer term. Within the context of using coal for power generation, such choices should not only cover cleaner coal plant but also alternative means for extracting the energy from coal, e.g. underground coal gasification.
	3. It will consider the four main technical options currently available, each of these will be assessed in the review to determine which is the most appropriate both in terms of value for money and environmental impact. These are:
	Retrofitting cleaner coal technology components to existing combustion plants.
	Retrofitting coal gasification plant to older combined cycle stations.
	New build of supercritical or coal gasification on a brown field site.
	Cleaner coal plant with CO 2 capture and storage.
	4. It will determine the feasibility of a demonstration project/programme in terms of:
	Value for money in terms of promoting the wider use of cleaner coal generation plant including benefits to the UK economy and the potential for export sales.
	The various types of plant amenable to clean coal technology.
	The cost per tonne of carbon saved, compared to other sustainable technologies.
	The emerging evidence on the viability, security, environmental impact and acceptability of capture and storage technologies.
	The impact which overseas support schemes have actually had for cleaner coal plant, particularly in the United States, EC and Japan.
	State aid issues.
	The appropriate use of economic instruments to recognise the environmental case for cleaner coal plant, alongside other technologies.
	The nature of the competition or procurement route to support the building of a demonstration project(s) should agreement be secured to develop it.

Ultra-low Sulphur Petrol

David Maclean: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many outlets sell ultra-low sulphur petrol in (a) the UK and (b) England.

Brian Wilson: The latest estimates available are that, as of mid-June 2001, over 98 per cent. of the more than 13,000 retail sites in operation in the UK were selling ultra-low sulphur petrol, and virtually all deliveries of premium grade petrol for consumption in the UK are now ultra-low sulphur. There are no separate estimates available for England.

EU Information and Consultation Directive

David Heathcoat-Amory: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will list the areas where consultation between workers and employers would be obligatory under implementation of the EU Information and Consultation Directive.

Patricia Hewitt: A political agreement was reached at the Employment and Social Policy Council on 11 June on a Presidency compromise text. The text gives employees in the undertakings covered a right to be informed about the undertaking's economic situation, informed and consulted about employment prospects, and to be consulted with a view to reaching agreement about decisions likely to lead to substantial changes in work organisation or contractual relations, including redundancies and transfers. Employers and employees may agree on different arrangements than those prescribed in the directive.

Consignia

David Heathcoat-Amory: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will make a statement on future ownership arrangements for (a) Consignia and (b) its constituent parts.

Patricia Hewitt: The future ownership arrangements for Consignia and certain of its subsidiaries are governed by Part IV of the Postal Services Act 2000. In accordance with sections 65 of the Postal Services Act, no shares in the Post Office company (i.e. Consignia Holdings plc) may be issued or disposed of to anyone other than the Treasury or the Secretary of State (or their nominees) without authority from Parliament in accordance with section 67 of the Act. The Act also prohibits the issuing or disposal of shares in any "relevant subsidiary" of the Post Office company to anyone other than the Treasury or the Secretary of State (or their nominees) or the Post Office company or any other appropriate relevant subsidiary (or their nominees) without parliamentary authority in accordance with section 67. Consignia plc-- the wholly-owned principal operating subsidiary of Consignia Holdings falls within the definition of a "relevant subsidiary".
	The future ownership of subsidiaries other than Consignia plc and other "relevant subsidiaries" is a commercial matter for Consignia Holdings plc (or the member of the group who owns the subsidiary), in accordance with the commercial freedom given the company under the Post Office reform package.

Energy Markets (EU)

Nick Gibb: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what recent discussions her Department has had at EU level concerning liberalisation of energy markets; and if dates for completion of the single market in this area have been set.

Brian Wilson: In March 2001, the Commission proposed a new Directive to amend the existing rules on electricity and gas liberalisation. The Commission also proposed a Regulation on cross-border electricity trading. The new Directive includes the date of 2005 for full liberalisation of the EU electricity and gas markets. These proposals were discussed at the Stockholm European Summit. Discussions of the proposals are continuing in the Council Energy Working Group. UK officials are also actively engaged in a number of bilateral discussions with other member states and representatives from the Commission.

Government Regulation

Nick Gibb: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will outline her plans for reducing the administrative burden on business; and what quantifiable targets she has for measuring progress.

Nigel Griffiths: The DTI will continue to ensure that administrative burdens associated with necessary regulation to protect the interests of consumers and citizens and to provide decent minimum standards for workers are minimised. The regulatory impact appraisal (RIA) process was changed in 2000 to require that administrative and policy costs should be separately identified, enabling us to concentrate on minimising the cost of the administration associated with regulation. Where it is shown to us that administration is excessive, we will reduce it, as we did with the Working Time Regulations in 1999.
	The new Regulatory Reform Act will play a vital role in the Government's drive to reform outdated, overlapping and over-burdensome regulation. The Labour Party's Business Manifesto commits the Government to use the new Order-making power in the Act to bring forward a programme of regulatory reform initiatives involving all the key Government Departments. A list of 51 examples of reforms that could be achieved by this means is available from the Libraries of the House, and on the Cabinet Office website.

Government Regulation

Nick Gibb: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what progress the Small Business Service has made in establishing an Index of Regulation; and if its operational target date has been met.

Nigel Griffiths: In line with the principles set out in "Think Small First" published in January the SBS remains committed to obtaining a detailed picture of the impact of regulation and is considering the best way to proceed on this important issue.

Government Regulation

Nick Gibb: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what plans she has to introduce longer lead-in times and consultation periods for new regulations.

Nigel Griffiths: The new Consultation Code requires that public consultations should last at least 12 weeks except in clearly defined circumstances, or where Ministers judge that the particular circumstances require a shorter consultation period. The new procedures for guidance for business on new regulations mean that where new regulations require action from business, guidance should be issued at least 12 weeks before the entry into force of the regulation.

Government Regulation

Nick Gibb: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry which regulations implemented since 1997 her Department is planning to review the working and impact of.

Nigel Griffiths: We keep the regulatory framework under constant review, assessing the impact of regulations made before 1997 and since. We are also carrying out the following specific reviews.
	The Government have appointed the independent Low Pay Commission to monitor and review the impact of the National Minimum Wage Act 1998 and accompanying regulations. The LPC is to be established as a permanent body, continuing to advise on the national minimum wage and carrying out associated research.
	We are currently reviewing whether the Timeshare Regulations 1997 and Price Marking Order 1999 should be amended in the light of their operation.
	We will also comprehensively modernise company law, following the final report of the independent Company Law Review, to be published this summer.
	The forthcoming White Paper on the reform of the competition regime will address aspects of that regime dating from before May 1997, as well as those introduced since.

EU Directives

Nick Gibb: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will make it her policy to conduct an audit of EU Directives transposed into UK law since 1997 to determine what use has been made of protective provisions for small businesses.

Nigel Griffiths: The Government have consulted fully on the implementation of all EU Directives since 1997, taking account of the needs of small businesses. We have no current plans to conduct an audit.

Foot and Mouth

Peter Ainsworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many tourism businesses have (a) applied for and (b) received loans under the Business Loan Guarantee Scheme in connection with the impact of foot and mouth disease.

Nigel Griffiths: No information is available on the number of businesses that have approached lenders.
	Of the new loans that have been guaranteed by the Small Business Service, where the application forms identify that the businesses have been affected by foot and mouth disease, four of them are considered to be tourism related.

Women's Pay

Claire Ward: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what plans she has to tackle the level of pay for women relative to men.

Patricia Hewitt: The Government have an extensive programme of action to reduce the pay gap between men and women. This gap has reduced from 37 per cent. when the Equal Pay Act was introduced in 1970, to 18 per cent. now. We are taking steps to make the legislation work better, by making equal pay claims quicker and easier. We are working with the Equal Opportunities Commission, employers and trade unions to develop voluntary equal pay reviews. The EOC has received an extra £100,000 to take this forward. The Government are committed to equal pay for its own staff. All Departments and Government agencies must undertake reviews and prepare equal pay action plans within two years. We are introducing Castle Awards to recognise employers' excellence in promoting equal opportunities and pay, and have appointed fair pay champions from a range of backgrounds to promote the issues. We also have a number of initiatives in place to address the underlying causes of the pay gap. These include tackling gender stereotyping in education, removing barriers to women's employment in traditionally male industries such as ICT and encouraging employers to take measures which allow parents to combine work and raising a family. In April of this year, the Government appointed Denise Kingsmill to lead an independent review into Women's Employment and Pay. This review will report in the autumn, and the Government will then consider what additional action is required to make further progress.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

Iraq

George Galloway: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with his US counterpart on the bombing of a football game in northern Iraq on 19 June; and if he will make a statement.

Ben Bradshaw: None. Iraq's claim that a football match was bombed by allied aircraft is completely false. Although allied aircraft were patrolling the No-Fly Zones on 19 June and came under attack from Iraqi anti-aircraft and missile fire, they did not fire back.

WORK AND PENSIONS

Pension Credit

Gordon Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what consultations are planned with pensioner groups and groups representing older people on claims procedures envisaged under the new pension credit.

Ian McCartney: Over 400 responses were received to the formal consultation exercise [Cm4900, November 2000], many welcoming our proposals. We will continue to consider views and work closely with groups representing older people to deliver a modernised and dedicated service to meet pensioner needs.

Pension Credit

Oona King: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will make a statement on the introduction of the pension credit.

Ian McCartney: The pension credit forms a key part of the Government's overall strategy for tackling pension poverty, ensuring that no pensioner need live on less than £100 a week and no pensioner couple need live on less than £154 a week.

Housing Benefit

John Grogan: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what plans he has to reform housing benefit.

Malcolm Wicks: Following years of neglect by the opposition, improving administration is the biggest challenge facing the Housing Benefit system.
	We published our strategy to achieve this in December and we are working with local authorities to drive up standards of service, tackle fraud and error and promote work incentives.

Retirement Provision

Peter Viggers: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what action the Government propose to take to ensure that individuals are able to make appropriate provision for their retirement.

Ian McCartney: The Government are encouraging people to save for their retirement in a variety of ways. We have introduced stakeholder pensions, a new low cost safe, flexible pension option for moderate and high earners who do not have access to a good occupational scheme. We are also providing better information, through leaflets and in time combined pension forecasts, to help people make choices about the most appropriate provision for their retirement. And we continue to work closely with the pensions industry to seek ways of making the regulatory system simpler and easier to operate.

Private Pension Plans

Michael Fabricant: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will make a statement on the Government's policy on encouraging employees to contribute to private pension plans.

Ian McCartney: The Government attach great importance to providing better information to help people make informed decisions about saving for their retirement. We have already greatly improved the general pension information available by actively promoting our series of pension education guides. And we are working in partnership with employers and pension providers to introduce new pension forecasts giving both state and private pension details.

Minimum Income Guarantee

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what representations he has received on the impact of means testing on applications for the Minimum Income Guarantee.

Ian McCartney: The link between the intrusive and complex nature of means testing and non take-up of the minimum income guarantee by some pensioners has been established. A key objective of the Pension Credit is to tackle pensioner poverty and by 2003 no pensioner will have to live on less than £100 per week and couples no less than £154. It will reduce complexity, by modernising processes and removing outdated rules and reduce intrusiveness by, for example, abolishing the weekly means test.

Minimum Income Guarantee

Archy Kirkwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what are the most recent estimates of increased take-up of the Minimum Income Guarantee as a result of the pensioner take-up advertising campaign.

Ian McCartney: Over 110,000 additional awards of the Minimum Income Guarantee had been made by the end of May 2001.

Minimum Income Guarantee

David Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate he has made of the number of pensioners in North-West Leicestershire who are entitled to the minimum income guarantee but who are not receiving it.

Ian McCartney: Estimates of the number of pensioners entitled but not claiming the minimum income guarantee are not available below national levels. Around two million of the poorest pensioners are now receiving MIG. While over 110,000 additional awards had been made by the end of May 2001, generated by the take-up campaign.

Minimum Income Guarantee

Simon Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what proportion of pensioners in Wales have taken up the Minimum Income Guarantee.

Ian McCartney: Estimates of take-up and non take-up of MIG are not available below national levels. However, over 20,000 additional pensioners in Wales have been awarded MIG during the period of the take-up campaign.

Social Security Offices (Ethnic Minorities)

Andrew Dismore: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what recent assessment he has made of the service provided to ethnic minority communities by social security offices.

Malcolm Wicks: The Benefits Agency holds both an annual benefits forum and an annual ethnic minority forum. These present an opportunity for representatives of ethnic minority groups to address any problem areas. As a result of the last ethnic minority forum, held in February 2001, the Benefits Agency policy on provision of interpreting and translation services is being reviewed.
	The Benefits Agency is committed to providing a service, which is fair and accessible to all members of the community. Local managers are responsible for ensuring that the level of service is of an acceptable standard. This commitment is also stated in the Customer Charter, which was published in November 1999. The standards in the Customer Charter are measured annually by a range of internal checks and customer satisfaction surveys. An analysis of the results informs service improvement action plans. All complaints received by the Agency are recorded and the data analysed centrally. The monthly reports produced are also used to inform service improvement plans.

Pensioners Overseas

Nigel Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will make a statement on his policy towards UK pensioners living overseas.

Ian McCartney: UK pensions are paid to anyone who satisfies the qualifying conditions, wherever they live.

Annuities

Vincent Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what plans he has to reform the regulations governing compulsory annuities for pensioners.

Ian McCartney: I refer the hon. Member to the oral answer given to the hon. Member for Arundel and South Downs (Mr. Flight) earlier today, Official Report, column 382.

Pensioner Poverty

Shona McIsaac: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what progress is being made in tackling pensioner poverty.

Ian McCartney: I refer the hon. Member to the oral answer I gave the hon. Member for West Aberdeenshire and Kincardine (Sir R. Smith) earlier today, Official Report, column 373.

Pensioner Poverty

Julian Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will make a statement on pensioner poverty.

Maria Eagle: Tackling pensioner poverty is a priority for this Government and we have already made a significant impact on the lives of our poorest pensioners by ensuring that no pensioner has to live on less than £92.15 a week.

Social Security Fraud

James Gray: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the level was of social security fraud in 2000-01.

Malcolm Wicks: We are getting to grips with Social Security fraud, tightening up the system and making sure that from the very first claim, the right benefits are going to the right people.
	Between 1998 and 2000 we have already made a 6.7 per cent. reduction in the level of fraud and error in Income Support and Jobseeker's Allowance. We have conducted further exercises to measure the level of fraud and error, the results of which will be published later this year.

Employment Assistance

Win Griffiths: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will make a statement on the measures he proposes to take to assist people receiving benefits to find appropriate employment.

Nick Brown: Today, there are record numbers of people in work. Labour Market Statistics show that the number of unemployed people is below one million. But we must continue to help those who can work to move off benefit and into productive work.
	The creation of the new Department and the Jobcentre Plus, launched later this year, are significant immediate steps. But we are also introducing a Welfare Reform Bill which will extend the scope and flexibility of our welfare to work programmes.

Stakeholder Pensions

David Kidney: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what assessment he has made of the take-up of stakeholder pensions.

Ian McCartney: There are now 47 registered providers offering stakeholder pensions. Early indications are that they are attracting considerable interest.

CULTURE MEDIA AND SPORT

Horse Racing

John Greenway: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport when (a) she and (b) the Minister for Sport last attended a horse race meeting in their official capacity.

Richard Caborn: Neither I nor my right hon. Friend have attended a horse race meeting since our recent appointment.

Pub Licensing

John Greenway: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport when she expects to bring forward legislation for the deregulation of pub licensing.

Kim Howells: We remain fully committed to bringing forward legislation to reform the alcohol and public entertainment licensing laws as soon as parliamentary time permits.

Foot and Mouth (Tourism)

John Greenway: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what additional funding for marketing she expects to provide to the English Tourism Council and regional tourist boards in response to the foot and mouth disease crisis.

Kim Howells: The Government made £3.8 million available for PR and marketing at national and regional level. This timely action did much to kick start the domestic tourism season. I have no plans for further national marketing, but the Government have funded the Regional Development Agencies who are now providing further help to promote tourism. The launch of the Devon marketing plan last week was an example.

Olympic Games

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what action she will take to promote a London bid to host the Olympic Games.

Richard Caborn: The decision on whether or not to launch a UK bid to host the Olympic Games is a matter for the British Olympic Association. The Government will take a view on what steps they might take to promote any bid in the event the BOA decides to make a bid.

National Stadium

Colin Pickthall: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what progress the Government have made in reviewing the options for a national stadium.

Tessa Jowell: My right hon. Friend the Member for Islington, South and Finsbury (Mr. Smith) explained to the House on 2 May 2001, Official Report, column 852W, that the Government would review options for a National Stadium in the light of the Football Association's announcement on 1 May that it could not deliver its plans for a new National Football and Rugby League Stadium at Wembley. The Department for Culture, Media and Sport announced on 8 May that the Government had asked Patrick Carter, a non executive member of the Strategy Board for Correctional Services, to analyse the alternative ways forward for the project. This work was delayed because of the general election but is now under way. The terms of reference for Mr. Carter's work are:
	In the light of the FA's announcement on 1 May 2001 about the project to develop a new English National Stadium at Wembley for Football and Rugby League, to examine if the project can be funded and managed at Wembley, or if that proved impractical, at another location in England. The review should report to the Government within eight weeks.
	Mr. Carter will consult interested parties in reaching conclusions.

LORD CHANCELLOR

Justices of the Peace

Harry Cohen: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what progress has been made with the pilot project for sight-impaired people acting as Justices of the Peace.

Michael Wills: I am pleased to announce that the pilot project assessing the feasibility of sight-impaired people acting as magistrates has been completed. It has been a great success. Nine sight-impaired people were recruited as Justices of the Peace to the Commission areas of Leicestershire, Devon, North East London, Wiltshire, Humberside and Manchester. Each was appointed after having met the normal selection criteria and completed the training. The responses from those who have worked with the sight-impaired magistrates have shown that each one of them has made a positive and valuable contribution to the work of their Benches. My noble and learned Friend the Lord Chancellor is therefore removing, forthwith, the bar to appointment of sight-impaired applicants as Justices of the Peace.

Magistrates Courts (Warrants)

Michael Fallon: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department how many warrants have been issued by (a) Sevenoaks Magistrates Court and (b) Dartford Magistrates Court in the last 12 months for which figures are available; and how many are outstanding in each case.

Michael Wills: Detailed information of this nature is not held centrally, and could be obtained locally only at disproportionate cost.

Independent Appellate Authority

David Lidington: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department how many (a) asylum cases and (b) other immigration cases are now awaiting consideration by the Independent Appellate Authority.

Rosie Winterton: At the end of May 2001, the Immigration Appellate Authority had 18,145 outstanding asylum cases and 3,230 outstanding other immigration cases awaiting final determination.

TREASURY

2002 Spending Review

Jackie Lawrence: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what plans he has to repeat cross-departmental reviews as part of the 2002 Spending Review.

Andrew Smith: The 2002 Spending Review will roll forward existing spending plans and set budgets and outcome targets for Departments up to 2005-06. The aim of the Review will be to determine how best Departments' programmes can contribute to the Government's priorities of:
	delivery of high quality, efficient and responsive public services;
	raising productivity, in the public sector and outside, through improved skills, research and infrastructure;
	spreading opportunity and prosperity more widely, and tackling child poverty and social exclusion;
	improving the quality of life in both urban and rural areas; and
	securing a modern international role for Britain through co-operation with our European and international partners.
	The Review will conclude by the summer of 2002.
	The Review will take a thorough look at all programmes to ensure that the new plans fully reflect the Government's priorities and the scope for greater efficiency and effectiveness in service delivery.
	The Review will include a number of cross- departmental studies, to look systematically at issues that cut across departmental boundaries. The initial cross cutting reviews will cover:
	(a) children at risk: this review will establish the key outcome targets for children's services, including the effectiveness of the current interventions in reducing the risks of young people turning to crime, and identify the main obstacles to meeting those targets.
	(b) public sector labour market: a study of recruitment and retention across the public services. The review will focus on staff requirements in the light of overall labour market trends, the effectiveness of the initiatives already introduced and implications for future policy.
	(c) improving the public space: this review will build on the Prime Minister's work on "liveability", to improve local quality of life including safety, convenience and attractiveness of local streets and amenities.
	(d) small business support: a review to assess Government services for small business, including information, advice, financial support, ease of access and delivery of service where small businesses need to interact with Government.
	(e) science and research: a review of funding of the UK science base and the effectiveness of Departments' own science and research programmes to ensure that they deliver maximum long-term benefits to the economy and quality of life.
	(f) health inequalities: this study will analyse the impact on health of poverty, employment, eduction, crime, transport, fuel poverty and related factors, and assess and improve the mechanisms for tackling these problems.
	(g) role of the voluntary sector in public service delivery: a review to analyse the current contribution of the voluntary sector in service delivery, the necessary instruments to improve this contribution, and possibilities for improving the range and quality of services offered by the voluntary sector.
	Further cross cutting work on other subjects will be carried out at a later stage in the Review.

Climate Change Levy

David Heathcoat-Amory: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what plans he has to review the effects of the climate change levy on business.

Paul Boateng: As with all taxes, the climate change levy will be kept under review as part of the normal Budget process.

Working Families Tax Credit

Anne Campbell: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the impact of Working Families Tax Credit on employment patterns in high cost areas.

Dawn Primarolo: Inland Revenue has embarked on a comprehensive programme of evaluation of the impact of the Working Families Tax Credit and the Disabled Persons Tax Credit. The programme of work spans several years and comprises qualitative and quantitative research and analysis. It will be a number of years before the programme of work is completed and such an assessment can be made.

DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER

Regulatory Impact Assessment

Nick Gibb: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what plans his Department has to ask the National Audit Office to evaluate the content and use of regulatory impact assessments, including public consultation.

Christopher Leslie: I understand that the National Audit Office have already begun a study examining the regulatory impact assessment process. They expect to report later this year.

Special Advisers

James Clappison: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many special advisers (a) resigned and (b) remained in office following the announcement of the general election.

Christopher Leslie: Following the announcement of the general election 62 special advisers resigned and 14 remained in post.

Special Advisers

James Clappison: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how much severance pay was paid to special advisers following the announcement of the general election; and how much is due to be repaid by special advisers following their reappointment.

Christopher Leslie: The rules on severance payments for special advisers are the same as those that have applied under previous Administrations. Under the terms of the Model Contract for Special Advisers, any special adviser who receives severance following the announcement of an election but who is subsequently re-appointed is only entitled to retain severance pay of an amount equivalent to the pay that they would have received during the period of the gap between the two periods of employment.
	Ministers are currently in the process of appointing their special advisers, so it is not possible to determine the overall cost of severance until this process is completed.

HOME DEPARTMENT

Crime Rates (Surrey)

Peter Ainsworth: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement about levels of (a) violent and (b) other crime in Surrey.

John Denham: The table shows recorded violent crime (violence against the person, sexual offences and robbery) and other crime statistics in Surrey for the 12 months to September 2000.
	
		
			 Offence Number 
		
		
			 Violence against the person 6,594 
			 Sexual offences 590 
			 Robbery 342 
			 Burglary 7,576 
			 Theft and handling 22,045 
			 Fraud and forgery 4,272 
			 Criminal damage 10,189 
			 Drug offences 1,727 
			 Other offences 844 
			  
			 Total 54,179 
		
	
	The recorded crime statistics for the 12 months to March 2000 show that Surrey had the second lowest number of crimes per 100,000 population in England and Wales. However, a boundary change involving Surrey and Metropolitan police forces took place on 1 April 2000, when Surrey took on some areas from the Metropolitan police. Figures for Surrey before and after that date are therefore not directly comparable. By excluding the boundary effect (i.e. by assuming these areas were policed by the Metropolitan police throughout the period), the increase in overall crime in Surrey in the 12 months to September 2000 compared with the 12 months to September 1999 is an estimated 3 per cent. The Government are committed to reducing all crime, including violent crime, and to tackling the causes of crime, ensuring proper punishment of those who break the law and providing the resources necessary to tackle crime. Although there continues to be an increase in the number of violent crimes recorded by the police, the rate of increase is slowing down and crime overall has fallen under this Government. The British Crime Survey, which is widely accepted as the most authoritative source of information on the real rates of crime, indicates that violent crime has been falling since 1995, and reduced by 4 per cent. between 1997 and 1999, the latest date for which figures are available.

National Economic Security

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps he takes to ensure that responsibility placed on MI5 to protect the economic well-being of the country is not discharged in such a way as to (a) benefit big business at the expense of small business and (b) undermine the rights of pressure groups and individuals to pursue peacefully their political ends.

David Blunkett: The Security Service carries out its functions in accordance with the relevant legislation. Section 1(3) of the Security Service Act 1989 requires the Service to safeguard the economic well-being of the United Kingdom against threats posed by the actions or intentions of persons outside the British Islands. Section 2 (2)(b) places a duty on the Director General to ensure that the Service does not take any action to further the interests of any political party.
	Anyone who is aggrieved by anything they believe the Service has done to them or their property may complain to the independent Tribunal (Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000).

European Public Prosecutor

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement about the plans for a European Public Prosecutor.

Bob Ainsworth: I refer the hon. Member to the reply given by the previous Minister of State at the Home Office, my hon. Friend the Member for Hornsey and Wood Green (Mrs. Roche), to the hon. Member for West Suffolk (Mr. Spring) on 1 November 2000, Official Report, column 529W.

Prisoner Costs

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the average cost is of holding a prisoner in (a) male local prisons, (b) male remand centres, (c) open prisons, (d) closed training prisons, (e) open young offender institutions, (f) closed young offender institutions and (g) female establishments; and if he will make a statement.

Beverley Hughes: During the financial year 2000-01 the average cost per prisoner place for each of the above categories are listed in the table.
	
		£ 
		
			 Category Cost per place (cash) 
		
		
			 Category B 21,674 
			 Category C 17,765 
			 Dispersal 33,804 
			 Female closed 25,123 
			 Female local 30,412 
			 Female open 17,399 
			 Male closed YOI 23,063 
			 Young Offender Institution (YOI) Male juvenile 44,668 
			 Male local 25,733 
			 Male open 14,733 
			 Male open YOI 21,628 
			 Male remand centre 35,174 
			  
			 Total 22,890 
		
	
	Figures for cost per place reflect establishment costs only and do not include headquarters overheads. These figures are not comparable with the Prison Service cost per place Key Performance Indicator. The establishments that comprise these functions are categorised by their main role only. Establishments that have more than one role have been placed under the category that represents the primary or predominant function of the establishment. These data will shortly be published in the Prison Service Annual Report and Accounts.

Marsham Street

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department 
	(1)  if he will make a statement about the Government's plans for the former Department of the Environment buildings at Marsham street;
	(2)  what the proposed capacity is of the planned development on the site of the former Department of the Environment buildings at Marsham street.

David Blunkett: Proposals to proceed with the relocation of the Home Office, including the Prison Service, to a new development on the site of the former Department of the Environment offices at Marsham street, where outline planning consent exists for a mixed office, residential and commercial development, were announced in July last year. Contract negotiations for developing the Marsham street site as a public-private partnership project are currently in progress with Anne's Gate Property plc, the preferred bidder.
	The City of Westminster resolved in February to grant detailed planning consent subject to completion of a planning agreement. That has been successfully negotiated and the formal agreement was signed earlier this month. Provided detailed contract terms can be agreed between the Home Office and the preferred bidder, a start on demolishing the old Department of the Environment offices is planned for later this year. The new development is intended to house the majority of Home Office and Her Majesty's Prison Service staff currently based in central London.

Secure Training Places

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement about his plans to provide additional secure training places; and when he estimates the places will become available for use.

Beverley Hughes: The Youth Justice Board for England and Wales commissions and purchases secure accommodation for remanded and sentenced young people. Over the next four years the Youth Justice Board plans to purchase an additional 400 independent sector Secure Training Centre (STC) places to replace Prison Service accommodation.

Criminal Justice System Reserve

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much of the Criminal Justice System Reserve has been (a) allocated and (b) spent to date; and if he will make a statement about his plans to allocate the reserve in (i) 2002-03 and (ii) 2003-04.

Keith Bradley: Of the £100 million Criminal Justice System Reserve in 2001-02, £85 million has been allocated to date. Further allocations will be made during the year. Information on spend to date on approved initiatives is not currently available as it is in the process of being collected from the three Criminal Justice System Departments. Future allocations from the Criminal Justice System Reserve require the joint agreement of the Home Secretary, Lord Chancellor and Attorney-General. The approval of the Chief Secretary to the Treasury is also required prior to the release of money from the Reserve. It is expected that bidding guidance for the Criminal Justice System Reserve for 2002-03 and 2003-04 will be issued to the three Criminal Justice System Departments in August 2001.

Home Detention Curfew Scheme

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will introduce legislation to exclude from the home detention curfew scheme offenders convicted of violence against public servants; how many such offenders have been released on the scheme to date; and if he will make a statement.

Beverley Hughes: No. Home Detention Curfew was not intended by Parliament to work in this way. It is a risk-based scheme. The statute lists several groups of prisoner who are ineligible for Home Detention Curfew. All of these are concerned with risk to the public or risk of breaching the curfew. In respect of all other offences, offenders can be released on Home Detention Curfew only if they have passed a rigorous individual risk assessment.
	Assault on a public servant is not a separate category of offence and separate figures are not available.

Home Detention Curfew Scheme

David Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will introduce legislation to ensure that victims are informed when a prisoner is released on the home detention curfew scheme; and if he will make a statement.

Beverley Hughes: Provisions in the Criminal Justice and Court Services Act 2000 introduced a statutory duty on local probation boards to consult and inform victims of offenders sentenced to 12 months or more for a sexual or violent offence about the conditions of release. These came into force on 1 April 2001. Prior to a prisoner's release, the victim may opt to make representations about whether the offender should be subject to any licence conditions and to receive information about any conditions which are imposed and are relevant to them.
	I have no plans to legislate for other victims to be told when prisoners are released on Home Detention Curfew (HDC). All those who are eligible for release on HDC are subject to a thorough risk assessment before HDC is granted, and this includes the nature of their crime, the risk to victims, and the likelihood of re-offending.

Home Detention Curfew Scheme

David Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will introduce legislation to require sentencers to state when passing sentence (a) the existence of and (b) the potential effect on the date of earliest release of the home detention curfew scheme; and if he will make a statement.

Keith Bradley: The Government are committed to ensuring that the implications of sentencing are explained in open court. The then Lord Chief Justice issued a practice direction in January 1998 requiring a court imposing a custodial sentence to explain the practical effect of that sentence for the benefit of the defendant, any victim and members of the public. Although the practice direction was issued before home detention curfew became available, it makes clear that any future changes to early release arrangements should be reflected in the court's explanation. We will consider whether any legislative requirement is necessary in the context of proposals emerging from the review of the Sentencing Framework.

Home Detention Curfew Scheme

Ann Widdecombe: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many offenders he estimates will be released on the home detention curfew scheme over each of the next five years.

Beverley Hughes: The number of prisoners released on Home Detention Curfew over the next five years will depend upon how many prisoners are eligible and of these how many pass the very rigorous risk assessment.

Home Detention Curfew Scheme

Ann Widdecombe: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the home detention curfew scheme.

Beverley Hughes: Home Office Research Study 222, "Electronic Monitoring of Released Prisoners: an evaluation of the Home Detention Curfew (HDC Scheme)", published March 2001, examined in detail the operation of the HDC scheme in its first 16 months of operation. It noted that the scheme was one of the largest electronic monitoring schemes in the world. Among its findings were that:
	The scheme had helped to provide prisoners with a managed transition between custody and living in the community.
	The risk assessment process had worked well, with only 9 per cent. of those released on HDC re-offending within six months of release, compared with 40 per cent. of those not granted HDC.
	HDC had generated large savings (£36.7 million in the first year) when compared with the cost of keeping curfewees in prison.
	The report concluded that,
	"the Home Detention Curfew scheme has established that a large-scale electronic monitoring programme involving several different agencies can be operated successfully and is consistent with an approach to release decisions which puts assessment of risk at the centre".
	I am satisfied that HDC has been a success and has justified the support given to it by the Government and Opposition members of the Home Affairs Select Committee, when commenting on it in 1998 (Third Report: Alternatives to Prison Sentences, HC 486).

Home Detention Curfew Scheme

Ann Widdecombe: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list, for the period between the commencement of the home detention curfew scheme and 31 May inclusive (a) the number of prisoners released on the scheme, (b) the number of prisoners convicted of each offence who were released on the scheme, with a breakdown of the offences committed, including offences committed by prisoners normally classified under the categories (i) other homicide and attempted homicide, (ii) other violence against the person, (iii) drug offences, (iv) assaults and (v) other offences, including a breakdown of the prisoners normally classified in the sub-category of other offences called other offences, (c) the average sentence (A) received and (B) served, and the average period spent on the scheme, in respect of each offence, (d) the number of prisoners released on the scheme, with a breakdown of the offences committed, who (1) breached the conditions of the curfew, (2) disappeared and were recaptured, (3) disappeared and remain unlawfully at large and (4) had their licences revoked with reasons, (e) the specific offences committed by prisoners released on the scheme while on the scheme, including offences committed, by prisoners who committed more than one offence and (f) the specific offences committed by prisoners released on the scheme who committed a further offence while on the scheme that was similar in character to that for which they were originally convicted, including offences committed by prisoners who committed more than one offence; and if he will make a statement.

Beverley Hughes: I shall write to the right hon. Member and place a copy of the letter in the Library.

Departmental Staff

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many staff there are in his Department, broken down by directorate.

David Blunkett: The available information is set out as follows:
	These figures take account of staff changes arising from the recent changes in the machinery of government. Some minor adjustments to the staffing numbers may arise as a result of the final arrangements agreed between my Department and the other Departments involved. Figures for the non-Agency Home Office and the Forensic Science Service have been taken from the central personnel database. Figures for the United Kingdom Passport Agency and Prison Service have been provided by their personnel units.
	
		
			 Home Office Staff(7) 
		
		
			 Non-Agency Home Office  
			 Communications Directorate 144 
			 Constitutional and Community Policy Directorate 185 
			 Corporate Development and Services Group 795 
			 Criminal Policy Group 372 
			 Immigration and Nationality Directorate 9,651 
			 Legal Adviser's Branch 59 
			 Ministerial Secretariat 81 
			 Organised and International Crime Directorate 175 
			 Planning Finance and Performance Group 197 
			 Policing and Crime Reduction 1,125 
			 Research Development and Statistics 314 
			 Staff on loans or secondments 126 
			 Home Office Agencies -- 
			 Forensic Science Service 2,351 
			 United Kingdom Passport Agency(8) 2,778 
			 Prison Service(9) 43,897 
			  
			 Total 62,250 
		
	
	(7) Permanent non-industrial staff, being paid as at 22 June 2001
	(8) Includes 100 staff at the Criminal Records Bureau
	(9) Staff in post at 1 June 2001.

EU Meetings (Ministerial Attendance)

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the dates of the European Union meetings attended by Ministers in his Department from 1 January onwards and the issues that were discussed at each meeting.

David Blunkett: There have been two formal Justice and Home Affairs (JHA) Councils and one informal JHA Council since 1 January. All three Council were attended by my right hon. Friend the Member for Blackburn (Mr. Straw), the then Home Secretary, and my hon. Friend the Member for Hornsey and Wood Green (Mrs. Roche).
	The informal JHA Council took place on 8-9 February 2001. The formal JHA Councils took place on 15-16 March and 28-29 May. I am placing the agendas of the formal council meetings in the Library. The Government reported the outcome of these meetings to the European Scrutiny Committee in accordance with the usual arrangements. The issues discussed at the informal Council were: a review of progress on implementing the Tampere European Council Conclusions; JHA aspects of EU enlargement; illegal immigration via the Western Balkans; EU Common Asylum policy; trafficking in human beings, including women and children; and mutual recognition of civil law decisions.
	In addition, my right hon. Friend the Member for Brent, South (Mr. Boateng) attended a Youth Council meeting on 28 May to discuss the proposal for a Commission White Paper on youth issues.

Police Numbers (Kent)

Michael Fallon: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the police establishment is for the West Kent and North Kent police areas; and how many officers are serving in these areas.

John Denham: The powers of the Home Secretary to set police establishment levels for each force were removed under the Police and Magistrates Courts Act 1994. It is for the chief officer to determine staffing levels within the overall resources available.
	I have been informed by the Chief Constable that the establishment level set by the force, and the actual numbers of officers serving in West Kent and North Kent police are as in the table.
	
		
			  North Kent West Kent 
		
		
			 Force establishment 352 250 
			 Actual 349 254

Proceeds of Crime Bill

Nick Hawkins: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will place in the Library the responses to his Department's consultation on the draft Proceeds of Crime Bill (Cm 5066).

Bob Ainsworth: Yes, I shall do so shortly, except where respondents have asked for their comments to be treated in confidence.

Victims Charter

Nick Hawkins: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will place in the Library the responses to his Department's consultation, 'A Review of the Victims Charter'.

Keith Bradley: Yes. Copies of the responses will be placed in the Library as soon as possible, except where respondents have specifically requested that their contribution should be treated confidentially.

Pitch Invasions

Nick Hawkins: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department 
	(1)  how many persons have been (a) arrested and (b) charged by West Yorkshire police in connection with the pitch invasion at Headingley Cricket Ground on 17 June; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  how many persons have been (a) arrested and (b) charged by Nottinghamshire police in connection with offences that took place at Trent Bridge Cricket Ground on 20 June; and if he will make a statement.

John Denham: West Yorkshire police arrested five people and charged two for public order offences and one for assault in connection with the match at Headingley. Inquiries are continuing in respect of the attack on a steward. Nottinghamshire police arrested six people and charged four for public order offences in connection with the match at Trent Bridge.

Extradition

Nick Hawkins: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will place in the Library the responses to his Department's consultation, 'The Law on Extradition: A Review'.

Bob Ainsworth: I intend to provide the House with the disclosable results of the consultation along with my Department's response later in the year.

Corruption (Law Reform)

Nick Hawkins: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will place in the Library the responses to his Department's consultation on reform of the criminal law of corruption in England and Wales (Cm 4759).

Keith Bradley: Full responses have been placed in the Library and will be held there for six months.

Best Value

Oliver Heald: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what representations he has received from police forces about Best Value Performance Indicator 131; for what reason the indicator was retained for 2001-02; and if he will abolish it in 2002-03.

John Denham: Best Value Performance Indicator (BVPI) 131 measures the throughput and quality of files from the police to the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS).
	BVPI 131 was included in the suite for 2000-01 and 2001-02 to measure the police contribution to timely and effective processing of prosecution files.
	Initial consultation with partners on the BVPIs for 2002-03 has recently ended, and the Association of Police Authorities (APA) and the Association of Chief Police Officers of England, Wales and Northern Ireland (ACPO) have made various representations for amendments, deletions and additions to the present BVPI suite. No decision has yet been taken on any of the BVPI or 2002-03--these will be the subject of a consultation document which is likely to be issued shortly.

Police Standards Unit

Oliver Heald: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement about his proposal for a police standards unit; and what powers the unit will have to issue directions to police forces about operational matters.

John Denham: The Standards Unit will drive up performance and ensure that best practice is applied throughout England and Wales. It will draw on the work of Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary and engage directly with police at the local level. Plans for the Unit are being worked up as a priority. Operational matters will remain the responsibility of Chief Officers.

Police Pensions

Oliver Heald: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement about his plans for reform of police pension arrangements.

John Denham: I will be considering a range of issues relating to police pension arrangements in the coming months.

Detective Expertise

Oliver Heald: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement about his plans to allow specialist detective expertise to be built up using outside experts; what types of detective work this will apply to; and what types of outside experts will be employed.

John Denham: "Criminal Justice: The Way Ahead", presented to Parliament in February by my right hon. Friend the then Home Secretary, said that where there are gaps which cannot be filled by experience or potential within the service, then there should be opportunities to recruit people with relevant specialist skills in other fields whether from the private or public sector. We are discussing with the police service what the need is and how best to meet it.

Criminal Justice and Police Act

Oliver Heald: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will bring into force sections (a) 38, (b) 46 and 47 and (c) 71 and 72 of the Criminal Justice and Police Act 2001 with immediate effect; and if he will make a statement about his plans to bring into force those parts of the Act which have not yet been brought into force.

John Denham: We plan to bring section 46 into force on 1 September, and sections 38, 71 and 72 on 1 October. Prior to implementation we shall issue guidance to the police, courts and other agencies who will be involved in the implementation of those provisions. We will announce our plans for implementation of other parts of the Act in due course.

Private Security Personnel

Oliver Heald: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the accountability of private security personnel to (a) their employers and (b) the relevant chief officer of police, in relation to paragraph 3.159 of "Criminal Justice: The Way Ahead" (Cm 5074); and if he will make a statement.

John Denham: Private security personnel contributing to public safety remain accountable to their employers. They are not directly managed by, nor accountable to, the relevant chief police officer, although there is scope for their activities to be co-ordinated with police work.

Police Working Conditions

Oliver Heald: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement about his proposals for reform of police working conditions.

John Denham: The Government's strategy for reforming the criminal justice system is set out in "Criminal Justice: The Way Ahead", presented to Parliament in February by my right hon. Friend the then Home Secretary. This makes reference to possible changes to police working conditions.
	We are currently discussing with the police service how to tackle these and other issues.

Press Officers

David Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many persons are employed in his Department's press office; at what grades; and what the equivalent numbers were on 1 May 1997.

David Blunkett: There are currently 25 Press Officers in the Home Office Press Office--five Senior Information Officers, 18 Information Officers, two Assistant Information Officers. In addition there is one Chief Immigration Officer on secondment and support staff comprising one Higher Executive Officer, one Administrative Officer and one Administrative Assistant.
	On 1 May 1997 there were three Senior Information Officers, 10 Information Officers (two part-time), one Assistant Information Officer, a Higher Executive Officer on secondment, one Executive Officer, one Administrative Officer and two Administrative Assistants.
	The increase in the number of press office staff reflects the increase in the number of calls to the press office over recent years and a commitment to openness and accessibility in providing accountability to the public for the work of the Home Office and to the provision of the services of the Department's press office.

Press Officers

Ann Widdecombe: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to reduce the size of his Department's press office; and if he will make a statement.

David Blunkett: There are no plans to reduce the size of the Home Office Press Office.
	While some responsibilities have transferred from the Home Office to a number of other Departments, the Home Office has taken on responsibility for work permits, driving forward the agenda on the United Kingdom Anti-drugs Co-ordinating Unit and for extending the work of citizenship and active communities.

Asylum Seekers

David Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department 
	(1)  when he expects the review of the voucher system of asylum support to be completed; and when he will report its conclusions to the House;
	(2)  if the hon. Member for Hornsey and Wood Green (Mrs. Roche), completed her review of the voucher system of asylum support prior to 8 June; and if he will make a statement about the progress of the review.

Angela Eagle: My noble Friend Lord Rooker and I have taken over responsibility for the review of the operation of the voucher scheme. We are considering the evidence and will announce our conclusions in due course.

Asylum Seekers

David Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many complaints have been received by NASS in respect of sub-standard accommodation provided for asylum seekers since April 2000; and if he will make a statement.

Angela Eagle: The Housing Management Team of the National Asylum Support Service (NASS) has received 253 complaints regarding a range of issues in relation to both housing conditions and management. The complaints are from a range of sources including asylum seekers themselves or their legal representatives as well as voluntary and public sector organisations acting on their behalf.
	All complaints received by the Housing Management Team are registered, investigated and monitored. The team liaises as necessary with other agencies such as local authorities and refugee organisations in dealing with complaints.

Asylum Seekers

David Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what his policy is on the use of detention for asylum seekers whose appeals have been rejected.

Angela Eagle: Failed asylum seekers whose appeals have been rejected may be detained under the Immigration Act 1971 pending their removal from the United Kingdom. The decision as to whether or not detention should be authorised in such circumstances will be based on the individual merits of the case concerned. Reasonable alternatives to detention will be considered before it is authorised.

Asylum Seekers

David Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list for the period since 1 January (a) the number of asylum cases in which an appeal was lodged with the Home Office and (b) the number of asylum cases in which the Home Office passed appeal papers to the Independent Appellate Authority.

Angela Eagle: The information is given in the table. This information is also published monthly on the Department's website at www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/ immigration1.html.
	
		
			  Appeals received by the Home Office(10),(11) Appeals sent to the IAA(10) 
		
		
			 2001   
			 January(11) 8,590 3,500 
			 February(11) 10,405 3,630 
			 March(11) 10,925 4,180 
			 April(12) (13)7,700 3,470 
			 May(12) (13)8,000 4,250 
		
	
	(10) Provisional figures rounded to the nearest five. Numbers might not add up due to rounding.
	(11) Based on manual counts of data received in Appeals Support Section of the Home Office. Some cases are received elsewhere in the Home Office before being forwarded to ASS and so may be counted in a later month than when they arrived in the Home Office. These data also include a number of duplicates.
	(12) Based on electronic sources.
	(13) Estimate. Figures rounded to the nearest 100, and subject to later revision.

Asylum Seekers

David Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many unaccompanied minors who are classified as asylum seekers are under the protection of local authorities; and if he will make a statement.

Angela Eagle: Figures for January 2001 show that the Home Office is reimbursing local authorities for the costs incurred in supporting 6,078 unaccompanied minors classified as asylum seekers.

Asylum Seekers

David Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what action has been taken by NASS in response to complaints about the quality of sub- contracted accommodation provided for asylum seekers in Liverpool; and if he will make a statement.

Angela Eagle: The National Asylum Support Service (NASS) investigates all complaints about the quality of sub-standard accommodation. Where faults with the accommodation have been identified the accommodation provider has been required to rectify them.
	As a result of its inspection programme NASS has required providers in Liverpool to remove approximately 60 bedspaces from use due to failure to meet the requirements of the NASS contract specification.

Asylum Seekers

David Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what his target is for the removal of failed asylum applicants from the United Kingdom; and what measures he plans to implement to secure that objective.

Angela Eagle: The target for the current financial year is to remove 30,000 failed asylum seekers including their dependants.
	We are taking a range of measures, including a substantial increase in the number of caseworkers and Immigration Officers engaged on removal work, expansion of the detention estate, increased use of charter flights, creation of additional immigration arrest teams and development of a network of reporting centres, to support delivery of the target.

Asylum Seekers

David Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what estimate he has made of the number of failed asylum seekers at large in the United Kingdom; and if he will make a statement.

Angela Eagle: It is not possible to give an official estimate of the number of failed asylum seekers remaining in the United Kingdom.

Asylum Seekers

David Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the procedure is governing the inspection of properties provided by private landlords to NASS for the accommodation of asylum seekers.

Angela Eagle: The National Asylum Support Service (NASS) has adopted a twin track approach towards the inspection of property. The main reason for this is to ensure a focus on housing management and support in addition to technical housing conditions.
	Firstly, NASS has developed a Housing Management inspection function that aims to monitor the performance of accommodation providers and act upon any problems that inspections highlight in relation to management and support.
	In terms of the condition of accommodation and, in particular, health and safety issues, NASS has appointed Contract managers to work in tandem with the Housing Management function to ensure a comprehensive approach towards both housing conditions and management.

Lord Birt

David Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement about the role of Lord Birt as the Government's adviser on crime.

David Blunkett: Lord Birt's work has ranged widely over the criminal justice field. His advice, research and analysis are reflected in the Government's strategy document, "Criminal Justice: The Way Ahead" (Cm 5074).

Immigration Officers (French Ports)

David Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what discussions he has had with the French authorities about the reduction in immigration officers at French ports; what representations he has made; and if he will make a statement.

Angela Eagle: The withdrawal of immigration control authorities from small ports in the north of France was discussed at the United Kingdom-French summit at Cahors in February.
	At the summit French Ministers gave an assurance that they were not reducing immigration controls but simply rationalising the roles of the various border control agencies. Where the PAF (the French Border Police) are withdrawn from a port the Douane will undertake immigration functions.
	United Kingdom officials are in regular contact with their French counterparts and are monitoring the situation closely.

Immigration and Nationality Directorate

David Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement about the recent incident at the Immigration and Nationality Directorate when an asylum seeker was admitted to the directorate while in possession of a loaded firearm.

Angela Eagle: A man has been charged with a number of offences relating to the possession of a firearm and ammunition and an immigration offence. He appeared at Croydon magistates court on 15 June and was remanded in custody until 25 June to appear at the Central Criminal Court. I cannot make any further comment for legal reasons.

Custody-plus Sentences

David Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many offenders would serve shorter terms in prison than at present under his proposals for custody-plus sentences; and if he will make a statement.

Keith Bradley: I have received John Halliday's report of a review of the sentencing framework for England and Wales, which I intend to publish shortly. Once the report is published there will be a period of consultation and I will want to consider carefully which "Halliday" proposals should be taken forward.

Drugs

Peter Lilley: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will publish a breakdown of expenditure on the Government drugs strategy between spending on (a) courts, (b) prisons, (c) police, (d) the NHS, (e) social services and (f) other departments.

John Denham: The Government have made available substantial resources for directly tackling the problem of drug misuse. These are planned to increase from £700 million in 2000-01 to over £1 billion in 2003-04. Information held centrally relates to the four main aims of the national anti-drugs strategy.
	Analyses by Department or function are difficult to calculate because drugs spending in many cases forms part of wider expenditure streams or functions. This is compounded by the increased use of pooled budgets, designed to maximise effective, flexible use of resources on the ground.
	Details of the planned expenditure for 2001-02 to 2003-04 are set out in the tables.
	Key Expenditure Figures
	
		Spending Review 2000--Resources directly allocated for tackling drug abuse (by main aim of the national anti-drugs strategy)(14)
		
			 £ million  
			  2000-01(15) 2001-02 2002-03 2003-04 
		
		
			 Drug Treatment(16) 234 328 377 401 
			 Protecting Young People 63 90 97 120 
			 Safeguarding Communities 45 79 81 95 
			 Reducing Availability(17) 353 373 376 380 
			  
			 Total 695 870 931 996 
		
	
	(14) Excludes devolved spending
	(15) Estimates of baseline spend in Departmental Expenditure Limits
	(16) Comprises mainstream spending by Department of Health
	(17) United Kingdom spend for 2001-02 to 2003-04 based on projected anti-drugs allocation from anti-Organised Crime shared funding
	
		Spending Review 2000--New resources provided for related programmes(18)
		
			£ million  
			  2001-02 2002-03 2003-04 
		
		
			 Criminal Justice System 1,420 2,290 2,720 
			 Neighbourhood Renewal Fund 200 300 400 
			 Children's Fund 100 150 200 
			 Connexions(19) 77 177 (20)-- 
		
	
	(18) Excludes devolved spending
	(19) This was added to existing provision for the careers service. Funding will go to the careers service in areas where Connexions is not yet running
	(20) Provision for 2003-04 will be announced in due course
	
		Budget 2001--New resources for anti-drugs measures(21)£ million 
		
			  2001-02 2002-03 2003-04 
		
		
			 Strengthening communities 50 70 100 
			 Extending drug testing in the Criminal Justice System 0 20 30 
			 Providing more help to find jobs 5 15 20 
			 Strengthening Drug Action Teams 5 5 5 
			 Expanding Positive Futures 2 3 0 
		
	
	(21) Excludes devolved spending

Ports Policing

Andrew MacKinlay: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what account will be taken of the results of the review of ports policing being conducted by the Department of Transport, Local Government and the Regions in preparation of the proposed Police Bill; and if he will make a statement.

John Denham: The review of ports policing presently being conducted by the Department of Transport, Local Government and the Regions is due to report its findings in October 2001. Until the recommendations of the Review are published I am unable to comment on whether they will impact on preparation of the proposed Police Bill.